Developing Strong Writing Skills

Eighth-graders enrolled in Erica Piacentini’s English Language Arts Skills class at Oakdale-Bohemia Middle School engaged in the structuring of a proper literary analysis essay, based on their reading of the classic novel “The Outsiders” by S.E. Hinton. The students first wrote their own thesis statements based on the reading, and then shared their ideas with the class in a peer editing and revision activity.

Following a similar approach to writing, students from Jennifer Ripp and Shannon Valenti’s fourth-grade class at Cherokee Street Elementary School recently spent time creating their own personal and persuasive essays. After discussing the proper format of an essay utilizing the “Boxes and Bullets” method, the students were able to formulate their own thesis statements, along with the evidence required to support their information in a concise manner.